Removal tool for oil cartridges having centrally-pivoted radial arms



C. N. WAY FOR March 15, 1966 REMOVAL TOOL OIL CARTRIDGES HAVING CENTRALLY-PIVOTED RADIAL ARMS Filed June 1, 1964 INVENTOR. 0,145.00 fl/I United States Patent 3,240,086 REMOVAL TOOL FOR OIL CARTRIDGES HAVING CENTRALLY-PIVOTED RADIAL ARMS Cameron N. Way, 7855 Hillrose St., Sunland, Calif. Filed June 1, 1964, Ser. No. 371,508

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-111) This invention relates to a specialized tool for removing throw-away automobile filter cartridges.

Filter cartridges, while easily installed, tend to become frozen in place. Various tools have been proposed for unloosening such filter cartrides. These known tools are quite satisfactory for use where there is a great deal of peripheral clearance. But peripheral clearance is ordinarily lacking adjacent the crankcase of a modern automobile. Often the side of the filiter cartridge practically touches the crankcase or other structure. ingly an object of this invention is to provide an improved tool that can effectively operate under such conditions. For this purpose, three gripping arms are utilized that overlie the end of the cartridge and which have angled ends extending a slight distance along the cartridge periphery. These arms are operated by a common crank located at the center of the cartride. The crank hence occupies no crucial space.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool of this character that is self-adjusting so as to be cooperable with cartridges of various sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool of this character that has a ratchet action so that the arms can be readily reversed in the event that an adjacent structure prevents the complete rotation of the arms with the cartridge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple spring structure that effect-uates both the ratchet action and the adjustment feature.

Accord- Y 3 ,240,085 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 10 adapted to be attached to the side of an engine crankcase. At the lower end of the cartridge is a socketed part that threadedly engages a post projecting from the crankcase. Influent and effiuent passages are for-med in a well-known manner at the lower end of the cartridge. The upper end of the cartridge is closed.

The tool 11 comprises three arms 12, 13, and 14 radiating from a crank assembly 15. The arms 12, 13 and 14 may be made of bar stock having a rectangular cross-sectional configuration having angled outer ends or fingers 16, 17 and 18. With the crank assembly 15 at the center of the cartridge top, the angled ends 16, 17 and 1 8 may be projected over the peripheral wall of the cartridge.

Secured to and projecting inwardly from the fingers 16, 17 and 18 are friction members 19, 2t) and 21 adapted v to grip the cartridge. These friction gripping members may be formed as round-headed pins of Teflon or the like, fitted in circular apertures of the fingers 16, 17 and 18.

The fingers 16, 17 and 18 are drawn tightly about the cartridge 10 by the application of a left-handed turning torque to the crank assembly 15. When the fingers are fast upon the cartridge, the turning torque is thereupon effective to unscrew the cartridge 10.

The friction gripping members 19, 20 and 21 may enter grooves 22 formed on the cartridge 10; however 1 the requisite coupling is established whether such grooves through apertures in the Another object of this invention is to provide a tool 3 usable under conditions of minimum clearance, but which yet imposes no lateral thrust upon the cartridge, ensuring its proper removal by the imposition of torques acting about the central axis of the ca-rtride. Furthermore, no damaging forces are imposed upon the post mounting the cartridge. v

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tool of this character that comprises relatively few and simple parts.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification, and which drawings, unless as otherwise indicated, are true scale. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of the tool shown in place upon a filter cartridge;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the tool and cartridge;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the offset plane corresponding to the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along a plan corresponding to line 4-4 of FIG. 3, but showing the tool in a retracted position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along a plane corresponding to line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a typical oil filter cartridge are present or not.

The crank assembly 15 comprises companion top and bottom sections 23 and 24 together enclosing the upper ends of the legs 12, 13 and 14. Pins 25, 26 and 27 pass inner ends of the arms to define axes of angular movement of the arms. The pins are formed as rivets, holding the parts 23 and 24 in assembled relationship. The pins 25, 26 and 27 are located at aspices of an equilateral triangle, the center of which defines the axis of the crank assembly. Within limits, the arms 12, 13 and 14 are free tomove angularly about their respective pins.

For purposes of explanation of the operation of the tool,

. 25, 26 and 27, and which is fixed withrespect to the crank assembly 15, is designated 0. The axes of the pins 25, 26 and 27 are designated A, B, and C, and the contact points determined by the gripping members 19, 20 and 21 are designed D, E and F, respectively. In the position of the arms illustrated in FIG. 2, the angles O-A-D, O-B-E and O-C-F are approximately the arms extending in a clockwise direction from their radial lines OA, OB and 0C. The inner ends of the arms are cut at an angle of 30 so that in the position of FIG. 2, the end surfaces extend substantially from the center 0 outwardly along the corresponding altitudes of the triangle A-B-C.

By changing the angles O-A-D, O-B-E and O-C-F as by angular movement of the arms 12, 13 and 14, the size of the circle defined by the contact points, D, E and F is adjusted. The arms 12, 13 and 14 when rotated outwardly increase the angles O-A-D, O-B-E and O-C-E whereby the arms may fit over the oil filter cartridge 11. Opposite rotation, with the arms in place, results in the arms constricting about the cartridge.

In order to rotate the arms inwardly, a counterclockwise torque is exerted upon the crank assembly 15. For this purpose, the upper crank section 23 has a socket 28 for a wrench or extender, the center of the socket corresponding to the triangle center 0.

Assuming a slight frictional restraint exists between the friction members 19, 20 and 21 and the periphery of the cartridge, counterclockwise rotation of the crank assembly 15 causes the angles O-A-D, O-B-E and O-OF to be reduced and the arms to be moved inwardly. Accordingly,

the arms firmly grip the cartridge case. Resistance soon stops inward movement, whereupon the crank assembly 15 together with the arms 12, 13 and 14, acts as a unit firmly coupled to the cartridge case. Accordingly, the counterclockwise torque imposed upon the crank assembly 15 results in the desired left-hand rotation of the cartridge 10; 1

In order to ensure the initial frictional engagement of the friction members 1-9, 20 and 21, the arms 12, 13 and 14 are normally urged to move in a clockwise direction about their respective pins 25, 26 and 27. This is achieved by a small compression spring 29 (FIGS. 4 and The compression spring is accommodated in a recess 30 located in the lower crank section 24. The compression spring 29 has ends that project into and fit small holes 31 and 32. in two of the arms 12. and 13. The holes 31 and 32 are so located that the line of action of the com pression spring 29 falls between the pivot pins 25 and 26. Consequently, the. arms 12 and 13' are both. urged in a clockwise direction. The side of the arm 12 engages the angled end of the arm 14 and causes it likewise to 'move' in a clockwise direction about its pivotpin 27 The end surfaces of the arms 12, 13 and 14 ultimately engage the sides of the adjacent arms, thus to determine a mutually stopped position and as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In use, a socket wrench is connected to the crank as sembly, with the arms 12, 1'3 and 14 located in their normal position as illustrated in FIG. 4. The socket wrench is then moved into position, and one of the friction members 19, 20 or 212 is placed on the; periphery of the cartridge case, with the others falling along the top of the cartridge. The socket wrench is rotated slightly in a clockwise direction so as to expand the tool and cause the two remaining arms to pass over the end of the cartridge. When the arms are thus positioned, counterclockwise torque is imposed, and the cartridge is loosened.

Should the clearance around the cartridge case be restricted, limiting angular movement of the arms, it is yet possible to operate the tool by a ratchet type operation. Thus, as the limit is approached during counterclockwise movement, a clockwise torque is imposed on the crank assembly 15. This causes the arms 12, 13 and 14 to slip rearwardly along the cartridge. Subsequent counterclockwise torque on the crank assembly causes the arms to grip the cartridge at the newposition.

The inventor claims:

1. In a tool for removing a substantially cylindrical filter cartridge: a crank including upper and lower sections; three arms having apertured ends located between said crank sections; pins connecting the crank sections together and extending through the apertured ends and pivotally mounting said arm ends for angular movement about parallel axes situated at the apices of an equilateral triangle; each of said arms having straight side edges; said arm ends having angled end surfaces for abutting the said side edges of the next adjacent arm upon angular movement of the arms in one direction corresponding to retraction of the arms; the end surface of each arm extending at an angle of substantially to the side edge of the corresponding arm; said arms having their other ends angled for fitting the periphery of the cartridge; one of said crank sections having a tool socket located at a position corresponding to the center of said triangle.

2. In a tool for removing a substantially cylindrical filter cartridge: a crank including upper and lower sec tions; three arms having apertured ends located between said crank sections; pins connecting the crank sections together and extending through the apertured ends and pivotally mounting said arm ends for angular movement about parallel axes situated at the apices' of an equilateral triangle; said arm ends having angled end surfaces for abutting the sides of the next adjacent arm upon angular movement of the arms in one direction corresponding to retraction of the arms; said arms having their other ends angled for fitting the periphery of the'cartridge; one of said crank sections having a tool socket located at a position corresponding to the center of said triangle; one of said crank sections accommodating a compression spring having ends respectively engaging two of said arms with the line of action of the spring intersecting the side of said triangle \between the axes of the respective arms.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 872,484 12/1907 Vogel 81-154 1,471,353 10/1923 Pihl s1 -3.42 1,895,638 1/1933 Melling 81-342 2,582,444 1/1952 Lucht s1 12s' 3,117,476 1/1964 Stein 81-90 X 3,119,290 1/1964 Ivie 81--90'X WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Exarrz irler.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

1. IN A TOOL FOR REMOVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL FILTER CARTRIDGE: A CRANK INCLUDING UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS; THREE ARMS HAVING APERTURED ENDS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID CRANK SECTIONS; PINS CONNECTING THE CRANK SECTIONS TOGETHER AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE APERTURED END AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID ARM ENDS FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT PARALLEL AXIS SITUATED AT THE APICES OF AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE; EACH OF SAID ARMS HAVING STRAIGHT SIDE EDGES; SAID ARM ENDS HAVING ANGLED END SURFACES FOR ABUTTING THE SAID SIDE EDGES OF THE NEXT ADJACENT ARM UPON ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF THE ARMS IN ONE DIRECTIONN CORRESPONDING TO RETRACTION OF THE ARMS; THE END SURFACE OF EACH ARM EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 120* TO THE SIDE EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING ARM; SAID ARMS HAVING THEIR OTHER ENDS ANGLED FOR FITTING THE PERIPHERY OF THE CARTRIDGE; ONE OF 